How many parents (of nursery age children or younger) are aware that childminders offer funded pre-school sessions?

[KatyMac]

You know the 12.5 hours a week early years education that the government provides for free?

I'm doing a survey - so could people reply

Yes they are aware childminders can offer these sessions
or
No they weren't aware (before Katymac asked)

Thank you

All my mindees are full time 7,30 to 5.30, Red, so parents wouldn't have time to take their children to the activities I offer, which is why they chose to stay with me.

Plus one was a late summer bay who would not have coped well in a Nursery.

Plus they all felt that the one to one 'teaching' I offered was a better option.

think of it more as Home schooling and you can see the parents reasoning.

red - I'd eat my arm before I let my children anywhere near the 2 local schools (or their adjoining nursery schools)...................

need I say more

Oh don't tell me to think of it as home schooling cause then I'll definitely be against it!

Yes, as I said, if you're working, it's a sensible decision.

Though from a very personal viewpoint,I wouldn't want my child having that one to one at 4. Great for little ones but I think being in a class of 15, wearing a uniform, taking part in assemblies etc were all good for my DS's development. He loved it and was very keen for school.

assemblies? uniform????

huh? not at the nursery that DS1 and 2 attended. Ofsted obviously don't see it as a problem given their outstanding last year..........

Oh I'm sure it's not a pre-requisite to being Outstanding. Though our local one was/is too.

Aren't they just like a pre-reception class? Another younger class in a classroom within the school who take part in school things just like the other classes? DS's was!

no some of them are, but a lot aren't. DS's was "attached" to the Infant and Junior schools on the same site by virtue of it's l ocatioin and it's name.

But they were a separate nursery and were neighbourhood nursery as well as LEA one - part of the Children's Centre on the same site.

Was fabulous

many are not, some have a pre school session within full day are, some are local harity run pre schools, especially within Rural areas, Iwould think a good percentage are not attached to a school/

Out of the pre schools in my small market town (and Army camp) there are:

6 preschools that are independent from any school.

4 that are attached to schools.

3 that re part of a daycare setting.

Shoshe, I know that not all nurseries are like this. What I meant was aren't all state school nursery classes like this? You know, primary schools whose board out front and OFSTED report say 3-11 rather than 4-11 and who take about 15 or 20 kids each morning then another group in the afternoon. They have a qualified teacher and a nursery nurse.

Mind you last year when DS was at nursery almost all the kids had SAHMs. I think there was one CM and one Granny used to pick up at 11.30. School nursery places are stupidly impractical if you are working. I did used to wish the session went on til 12pm though!

There aren't any childminders in this area offering the free sessions, so although I've heard of them doing so, I haven't got any first hand experience of it.

KatyMac - the govt are moving away from calling the places Nursery Education places (as part of the EYFS we are now moving towards more integrated care and education) so you would be better to advertise as Free Early Years Entitlement. The grant is only paid over 38 weeks of the year so that needs to be made [crystal] clear to parents too

The admissions policy is very complicated - who has priority a child that has been with me since 4 months on 3 days a week or a child who has been with my since 2 40 hrs a week or a child who has been with me since 3 50 hrs a week

So confusing

Katy, wouldn't you be able to say that as it is a small environment, the final decision is one made on cohesiveness of the group as a total? Your admissions policy can state that consideration will be given to the following factors: .....

• rather than setting a hard and fast rule.

That would give you the flexibility to offer the place to the child whose hours fitted into your other placements more conveniently. (Or are you not allowed to make decisions on a monetary basis???)

Sadmarg that is a great idea

So something like:
Admissions policy for grant funded nursery education

As WC is a commercial enterprise, certain priorities need to be considered when allocating grant funded nursery places. These places are allocated on a term by term basis and unless attending childminding on a full-time basis cannot be guaranteed. Whilst the final decision is made with regard to the cohesiveness of the group as a whole, the following criteria are used to make this decision:

? Children who have been with me for the longest
? Children attending childminding the most days per week
? Children attending childminding for the longest days
? Children wanting only 12.5 hrs grant funded sessions

No - we aren't supposed to use monetary reasons

SadMarg my understanding is that your admissions policy has to be non discriminatory (sp?) it's very very difficult to get it right. Think it's harder as you have 9 places rather than a sole minder who only has 3 places!!

If you can just offer it for one term at a time that would surely be best, you would probably be able to give new parents an idea for how many terms you envisage being able to offer their child EYF places.

Also I think you can restrict it and for example only offer places Mon/Tue & Wed - so only 6 sessions per week if that suited you better.

I am aware of this as my CM is currently working towards being accreditted so she can offer it (and DS2 just turned 3!).

I will be keeping my DS2 at his CM's, as an ex nursery manager she is very proactive and he mixes with other children a lot. The day is very structured and she follows all the birth to 3 stuff that a preschool would.

I am hoping to get him at least one session in the preschool DS1 attended as we found it helped DS1 having friends from preschool in his reception class.

I would jiggle your spreadsheet and see if you can offer sessions only on the days & times that suit your current parents and see what spaces you would end up with. You don't have to offer a full 10 sessions per week.

It's tricky Cargirl

ATM none of my existing children are old enough - but if you extend their ages - I am full in the summer of 2011 so I can't take anyone on & guarantee that term

If I ring fenced the 3am & 3 pm spaces then I could only take on 6 babies.....& obviously a F/T baby is worth more to me than 2 12.5 hrs a week

As my numbers fluctuate so much planning more than about a month in advance is very hard - to commit for a term is a massive issue for me

No -it's more complicate that that even as my existing children can switch their times around to suit me (the ones that do full days/weeks)

This is an absolute nightmare to work out

Katymac, so would my CM be paid less if she offers me the 12.5hrs?
We don't pay per hour, but per day?

It depends upon:
*Her hourly rate
*How many hours you attend
*How much her council pays
*How strict the council are about invoicing

Thanks Katymac, it's not easy working all this out is it?
Well done on obtaining Outstanding as well, saw it on another thread

Thank you - the 2 coming so close together mean I need to rethink my advertising & stationery......I'm all logo'd out atm